Here Are 31 of Our Absolute Favorite One-Pot Meals

On those hectic weekday nights, sometimes you can’t even imagine having the time to cook an actual dinner. We don’t blame you. Cooking everything separately, combining it all, and then washing every pot and pan afterwards is a major pain and a huge waste of time. So what if we simplified dinner by doing it all in one pot? One-pot meals are a miracle on crazy nights when you need to cook but just don’t have the time or energy. Check out 31 of our all-time favorite one-pot meals and to get you inspired for dinner tonight!

For a light dinner, try this balsamic chicken. All the veggies and your tender chicken will be deliciously infused with the biting taste of balsamic – that’s just one benefit of cooking all your ingredients in one pot!

That’s a lot of delicious ingredients for one pot. But low and behold, this amazing recipe allows you combine all of these flavors into one deliciously simple dinner. And did we mention it only requires one pot?

One of our most popular one-pot meals to date, this creamy pasta is the definition of a good one-pot recipe. All you have to do is put the ingredients into a pot and let nature take it’s course! (With a little supervision, of course.) And you won’t believe how thick and creamy the end result is. Yum.

Let’s face it: everything is better with red wine. Including one-pot meals. This red wine pasta dish is full of that rich wine flavor we all love…and whatever you don’t use to cook this meal with, you can drink. So there’s that.

Bet you didn’t see this coming! That’s right, you can make a one-pot frozen yogurt. This is revolutionary. This vegan pumpkin froyo can be whipped up quickly in one dish and it’s the perfect way to beat the heat this summer.

Shrimp scampi is PRETTY fancy. So we’re willing to bet you didn’t think you could make it in a one-pot meal…but you can. This recipe is super simple and the result is the same delicious seafood dish you’ve come to know and love.

This dish looks so much more complicated than it actually is. Just add pasta and chicken to skillet with some lemon juice, zest, and other seasonings. Top off with lemon slices and basil for a bright, summertime flavor.

If you think lasagna can only be made with a casserole dish and hours of time, you couldn’t be more wrong! This 30-minute lasagna can be made in a flash and is made entirely in one skillet on your stove top. It doesn’t get easier than that.

Cheesy potato skins are within your reach, all you need is a skillet. And these potato skins aren’t your everyday potato skins – they’re Shepard’s pie potato skins, so they’re piled high with rich mashed potatoes, ground meat, and sweet corn and peas! All in one skillet.

That’s right, breakfast can be a one-pot meal, too! This french toast bake is almost too decadent for breakfast (if there is such a thing) and can be dressed up with any toppings your heart desires. Personally, I’m loving the chocolate chips on top.

For those of you oven-lovers who swear by meatballs made in the oven, we’re about to turn your world upside down. This recipe only requires one skillet, half the time of your oven recipe, and it gives you the cheesiest meatballs you’ve ever tasted. In other words, you have to try this right now.

Not only are sweet potatoes straight up delicious, they’re also super good for you! So you have no excuse not to try this delicious one-pot meal. This creamy sweet potato gratin will change the way you make side dishes forever. Seriously.

What would a one-pot list be without some skillet dips! Skillet dips (like this zesty chiles rellenos dip) are so easy to make and to serve – you can just put out your skillet with a bowl of chips and let your guests go to town on your homemade dip.

We haven’t mentioned using your oven very much on this list, but it can come in handy for one-pot meals, too! For instance, you can make this cheesy bacon and tomato gnocchi bake in one pot, put it in a casserole dish, and bake it to crispy perfection.

Ever heard of zoodles? They’re essentially zucchini noodles, although with a vegetable spiral slicer, you can make noodles out of any veggies you want! Check out how to make a one-pot zoodle recipe here.

Bet you didn’t expect to see a sandwich on this list. But here we are. These hot Italian sandwiches are great to make in bulk if you’re going to be feeding a crowd, and they can be made on one baking sheet in about 20 minutes. Doesn’t get easier than that!

Craving fried rice? Don’t order greasy take out. Instead, make your own health-ified version of fried rice in this one-pot recipe using quinoa. You’ll satisfy your craving and feel like a master chef, promise.

For a super fancy dinner that’s WAY easier to make than it looks, make this golden beet risotto. It can be made in one pan in just a few minutes, but it has beautiful presentation, so it’s perfect for a last-minute dinner party.

You don’t need a brick oven and tremendous counter space to make your very own pizza – all you need is a skillet! This is one of my favorite one-pot meals, because the end result does not give away how easy the pie was to make! No one has to know you did basically nothing to get this delicious dinner.

When you need dinner to be quick AND amazing, you need this sausage, tomato, and pasta recipe. In-laws stopping in for a surprise visit? THIS is the simple and unbelievably yummy recipe you need to make.

Do you have a one-pot recipe you love? Share it in the comments section below.